Soaking Wood Chips In Beer For Grilling
Here is a secret. You can turn your gas or charcoal grill into a smoker by just using beer. Soak wood chips in beer before you fire up the grill. The beer will be imparted into your smoked food.
Soak wood chips in beer for at least 30 minutes. The wet wood chips will produce more smoke and flavor. Drain wood chips and sprinkle a handful of soaked chips over the hot coals when they are ready and covered with a white ash. Put the lid on the grill and wait for the smoke to start to pour out of the grill. Then place the food on the cooking grate.
For charcoal grills, position it so that the vent is on the side of the grill opposite the charcoal. This will draw the heat and smoke over the food and out of the vent.
For gas grills, when using wood chips with a gas grill, follow the smoker box instructions for best results.
A couple of handfuls of wood chips will provide 10 to 20 minutes of smoke, depending on how hot the fire is.
Keep the grill lid closed as much as possible to allow the smoke to fully permeate the food.
Always use heat-resistant barbecue mitts or gloves when operating your grill.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Another Culinary Debt To Thomas Jefferson 1789
Thomas Jefferson, then American minister plenipotentiary in Paris, asked a young friend visiting Naples to bring him back a macaroni machine. The young friend duly obliged, and the machine became the first of its kind in the United States of America when Jefferson returned home in September of 1789. It is unknown whether Jefferson followed the advice of the Parisian pasta maker, Paul-Jacques Malouin, who in 1767 had advised that, “the best lubricant for a pasta machine is a little oil mixed with boiled cow brains.”
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Tiny New York Kitchen wishes you and your loved ones a very Happy 4th of July!
Every once in awhile I get a request to make Runzas,a Nebraska favorite. I grew up eating Runzas and have made them for many many years. I had a recent request for them so I took three days out to make them. Yes, they are that labor extensive! Here they are filled and rising on my back porch.
5 Ways to Make the Most of Seasonal Stone Fruit
Ripen: Ripen peaches, nectarines and apricots at room temperature. Once ripe, they can be refrigerated for just a few days to help keep them at their best.
Speed Up: Speed up the ripening process by placing fruit in a brown paper bag on the counter, checking a few times each day.
Can: Preserve stone fruits by canning them (make jam, syrup or salsa) to enjoy the taste of summer year-round.
Dry: Bake or grill halves or slices at 200 degrees for about 3 hours, turning every 30 minutes or so, until dehydrated yet still soft. Store in the refrigerator.
Freeze: Lightly poach halved and pitted fruit in water (sugar optional), portion and freeze for later use in smoothies, baking, desserts or fruit sauce for pancakes.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Fresh Lemonade
How To Make Nose-To-Tale Lemonade!
Tossing entire lemons, peels and all, into a blender instead of just juicing them results in a frothy, thirst-quenching concoction that may ruin you for the regular stuff. The oil from the skin provides a serious flavor boost. Here’s how to do it: Wash 1 lemon and then quarter it. Remove the seeds and some of the thick pith at the ends and sides of the slices. Place in a blender with two tablespoons of sugar and some ice cubes. Cover with about 1 1/2 cups ice-cold water, and blend on high for a minute or so until smooth.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Tiny New York Kitchen Wishes ALL The Fathers, Step-Fathers, Foster Fathers & All Men Who Act As Fathers To Those Who Need One, A Very Happy Father’s Day!
Often on the weekends I stop for ice cream at Ferris Acres Creamery in Newtown, Connecticut. The drive from my house to the creamery is breathtaking between the countryside and beautiful historic homes. When arriving to the creamery the parking lot is typically full, but somehow everyone finds a place to park. The line is typically long, but moves fairly quickly. It’s wonderful to see families of all sorts deciding on flavors and chatting about this and that. Getting ice cream at Ferris Acres is always about happiness. Last night I ordered a scoop of “Paradise Found” which is coconut ice cream, chocolate swirls, toasted coconut, and toasted almonds. Think mounds bar in the form of ice cream. While I ate my treat I was able to watch the cows on the hillside who’s milk was used for ice cream making. Life is good and I have so much to be grateful for.
Burgers 101
Whether you’re cooking on a gas or charcoal grill or in a fry pan on the stovetop, here are tips on making the perfect burger that is meaty and satisfying, yet never dense and bricklike. To make the best burgers, use a light touch with the meat.
DON’T FEAR THE FAT For the juiciest beef burgers, use ground chuck (80% lean/20% fat) or sirloin (85% lean/15% fat). Leaner cuts and grass-fed beef will yield a drier burger. When buying chicken or turkey, opt for dark meat. It’s still lower in fat than beef and will result in a much tastier burger than white meat.
FRESH IS BEST Keep in mind that you don’t need to buy ground meat. You can choose any boneless cut and then ask your butcher to grind it for you or grind it yourself. Use a coarser grind to avoid a mushy texture. For a special treat add some freshly ground short ribs, dry-aged steak, brisket or a combination.
MAKE AN IMPRESSION The edges of a burger cook faster than the center, which can cause the burger to puff up into a sphere. To avoid this, when shaping the patty, press your thumb into the center to make a dimple about the size of a quarter.
HOLD THE SALT Wait to add salt until after the patties are formed and just before cooking, and then season generously. Salt inside a patty will start to dissolve the protein strands, which will adversely affect the texture of the burger.
GRILL OR GRIDDLE Burger lovers are divided about the best cooking method. Grilling adds terrific smoky flavor, but some insist that a griddle or fry pan allows the flavorful fat to stay with the burger during cooking. Whichever method you choose, DO NOT press down on the meat with the spatula because it will release the juices and fat. Resist that urge!
DON’T FLIP OUT Flip the burgers only once, and only after they have formed a nice brown seal. Don’t flip too soon, and don’t move the burgers around. When the burgers are ready to be flipped, they should dislodge from the cooking surface easily. If they stick, let them cook for a few moments more.
COOKED TO PERFECTION The surest way to measure a burger’s doneness is to check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. The thickest part of a beef burger should register 130 degrees for medium-rare, 140 degrees for medium, and 150 degrees for well done. Let your burgers rest for a couple of minutes before serving to allow the internal juices to redistribute evenly through the meat.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2015 All Rights Reserved
Don’t Eat Anything Your Great-Grandmother Wouldn’t Recognize As Food. – Michael Pollen
My Great-Grandmother, Libby (pictured here), was of Czech stock. Her mother came from Prague and settled a little town in Nebraska, which was named Prague. How original! Somehow Libby made it to Lincoln, Nebraska where she lived for many many years. She lived in an old farmhouse on the edge of town. Neighbors had milking cows in their backyards and Libby kept chickens, which were NOT for eggs. When we would pull up to her house for chicken dinner I can vividly recall seeing fresh blood next to an axe on a big old stump. Feathers everywhere. Yes, it certainly was a very fresh chicken dinner complete with homemade dumplings.
